/Adaptation./ (Spike Jonze) - 7.5/10
Flaws on more prominent display this time and with far fewer excuses for what I'm not digging. "Donald's" handiwork isn't wrong-headed but poorly fleshed out, and puts far too much into focus the irony of a second writer taking over. It doesn't really embrace its own third act melodrama. I mean, they set up from an early stage of the film that people in John Laroche's field tend to die terrible, horrible deaths...but that doesn't make it any more or less random and un-affecting when it actually happens, which is so disorienting b/c Laroche is such a strong character beforehand. The third act feels so hip and ironic that I found it disengaging, and considering how strong Eternal Sunshine... and Synecdoche have subsequently proven, Adaptation. can't help but feel a little redundant. It's a film of tangental profundity. Life = process. It's also gloriously acted and edited. I like it but it's not nearly what I used to think.
Also: it's about a screenwriter struggling to make sense of his work and life and ends up spending half the movie masturbating. I mean, that's just...kinda...well...annoying.
Last Seen Movie - The Latest Movie You Have Seen; ratings
I want to see that made into a film. A Clockwork Orange style story in which someone is forced to watch goddamn cartoons until they break.Damien wrote:It started out like any other relaxing Friday evening, but, unbeknownst to them, this would be their WEEKEND IN HELL!!!!!Zahveed wrote:It's been an animated weekend for me
"It's the least most of us can do, but less of us will do more."
-
Precious Doll
- Emeritus
- Posts: 4453
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Franklyn (2009) Gerald McMorrow 2/10
Zombieland (2009) Ruben Fleischer 6/10
Away We Go (2009) Sam Mendes 6/10
Wake in Fright (1970) Ted Kotcheff 8/10 (2nd viewing in 20 years)
Zombieland (2009) Ruben Fleischer 6/10
Away We Go (2009) Sam Mendes 6/10
Wake in Fright (1970) Ted Kotcheff 8/10 (2nd viewing in 20 years)
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Zahveed wrote:It's been an animated weekend for me
It started out like any other relaxing Friday evening, but, unbeknownst to them, this would be their WEEKEND IN HELL!!!!!
Edited By Damien on 1260777946
"Y'know, that's one of the things I like about Mitt Romney. He's been consistent since he changed his mind." -- Christine O'Donnell
It's been an animated weekend for me:
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - 8/10
Castle in the Sky - 7/10
Princess Mononoke - 9/10
The above Miyazaki films were seen in Japanese with English subtitles.
The Princess and the Frog - 8/10
Great animation, decent songs (I'd put it above Pocahontas but below Hercules - if that helps any), and an excellent villain. The story had a chance to be original, but there are so many nudges and "inside jokes" to past Disney films that it borders on satire and ends up being predictable. If you're into drinking games, bring your flask and take a hit after each Disney reference.
Edited By Zahveed on 1260766313
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind - 8/10
Castle in the Sky - 7/10
Princess Mononoke - 9/10
The above Miyazaki films were seen in Japanese with English subtitles.
The Princess and the Frog - 8/10
Great animation, decent songs (I'd put it above Pocahontas but below Hercules - if that helps any), and an excellent villain. The story had a chance to be original, but there are so many nudges and "inside jokes" to past Disney films that it borders on satire and ends up being predictable. If you're into drinking games, bring your flask and take a hit after each Disney reference.
Edited By Zahveed on 1260766313
"It's the least most of us can do, but less of us will do more."
The Witnesses (Andre Techine, 2007) 7/10
This story of a love quadrangle set amid the early AIDS epidemic in Paris sounds like soap opera meets disease movie of the week, and that's pretty much what it is, but Techine handles the material deftly with just a few awkward/forced moments. Terrific cast, especially Sami Bouajila as the (sexy) bisexual cop.
This story of a love quadrangle set amid the early AIDS epidemic in Paris sounds like soap opera meets disease movie of the week, and that's pretty much what it is, but Techine handles the material deftly with just a few awkward/forced moments. Terrific cast, especially Sami Bouajila as the (sexy) bisexual cop.
-
Precious Doll
- Emeritus
- Posts: 4453
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Paranormal Activity (2009) Oren Peli 2/10
Me and My Brother (1969) Robert Frank 7/10
9 (2009) Shane Acker 4/10
Barocco (1976) Andre Techine 4/10
Helen (2009) Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor 7/10
Adventures in Sahara (1938) D Ross Lederman 4/10
Shank (2009) Simon Pearce 3/10
Me and My Brother (1969) Robert Frank 7/10
9 (2009) Shane Acker 4/10
Barocco (1976) Andre Techine 4/10
Helen (2009) Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor 7/10
Adventures in Sahara (1938) D Ross Lederman 4/10
Shank (2009) Simon Pearce 3/10
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Maid of Salem (Frank Lloyd, 1937) 7/10
Surprisingly a solid film which perfectly captures the mass hysteria during the Salem Witch trials. A superb cast helps things along although Claudette Colbert is the only member of the cast who is all made up. Despite that she gives an excellent performance.
No Time For Love (Mitchell Leisen, 1943) 6/10
Fred MacMurray & Claudette Colbert made an excellent team. Amusing film with a great supporting cast. An Oscar nominee for it's art direction.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (Tony Scott, 2009) 4/10
I can't recall the 1974 version with Walter Matthau but I enjoyed the interplay between Denzel Washington and John Travolta here. Otherwise it's the usual Michael Bay school of film making.
Surprisingly a solid film which perfectly captures the mass hysteria during the Salem Witch trials. A superb cast helps things along although Claudette Colbert is the only member of the cast who is all made up. Despite that she gives an excellent performance.
No Time For Love (Mitchell Leisen, 1943) 6/10
Fred MacMurray & Claudette Colbert made an excellent team. Amusing film with a great supporting cast. An Oscar nominee for it's art direction.
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (Tony Scott, 2009) 4/10
I can't recall the 1974 version with Walter Matthau but I enjoyed the interplay between Denzel Washington and John Travolta here. Otherwise it's the usual Michael Bay school of film making.
Ils (Moreau & Palud) - 6/10
Not bad. Very similar to The Strangers; lacking the chills early on, but more cohesive. Good, nasty ending. Kinda meh.
Wolf Creek (McLean) - 7.5/10
One of the most upsetting films I've ever seen. Beautiful nightmarish imagery. Impossibly bleak in equating tourists to human game. Several leaps in logic fail to bog down narrative. Good.
Not bad. Very similar to The Strangers; lacking the chills early on, but more cohesive. Good, nasty ending. Kinda meh.
Wolf Creek (McLean) - 7.5/10
One of the most upsetting films I've ever seen. Beautiful nightmarish imagery. Impossibly bleak in equating tourists to human game. Several leaps in logic fail to bog down narrative. Good.
"How's the despair?"
-
Precious Doll
- Emeritus
- Posts: 4453
- Joined: Mon Jan 13, 2003 2:20 am
- Location: Sydney
- Contact:
Boogie (2008) Radu Muntean 6/10
Anything For Her (2008) Fred Cavaye 3/10
Bigga than Ben (2008) S A Halewood 3/10
Sauna (2008) Antti-Jussi Annila 2/10
Dead Snow (2009) Tommy Wirkola 2/10
Where the Wild Things Are (2009) Spike Jonze 4/10
Anything For Her (2008) Fred Cavaye 3/10
Bigga than Ben (2008) S A Halewood 3/10
Sauna (2008) Antti-Jussi Annila 2/10
Dead Snow (2009) Tommy Wirkola 2/10
Where the Wild Things Are (2009) Spike Jonze 4/10
"I want cement covering every blade of grass in this nation! Don't we taxpayers have a voice anymore?" Peggy Gravel (Mink Stole) in John Waters' Desperate Living (1977)
Finally saw the much-hyped TV version of Days of Wine and Roses. I think Piper Laurie's final scene is excellent, and she's heartbreaking in different ways than Lee Remick's final scene in the film version. But oh my God, her big drunk scene is something to see. I honestly don't quite know what to say. All I could think while watching it was this: This must be how Janis Joplin behaved while on a drug binge. She even looks like her, with the awful dress, and the shag hair. To be honest, I thought that scene was absolutely embarrassing--one of the worst pieces of acting I've ever seen in anything. When that scene ended, I could not believe what I had witnessed. It was like watching a mentally challenged person misbehave in public.
I've seen performers go to some pretty big extremes of good/awful in one movie, but those are scenes that were shot individually, days, weeks and sometimes months apart. But this was a live TV broadcast; Piper Laurie went from unbelievably terrible to pretty excellent in the space of about twenty minutes.
Edited By dws1982 on 1260250568
I've seen performers go to some pretty big extremes of good/awful in one movie, but those are scenes that were shot individually, days, weeks and sometimes months apart. But this was a live TV broadcast; Piper Laurie went from unbelievably terrible to pretty excellent in the space of about twenty minutes.
Edited By dws1982 on 1260250568